Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 199(@250wpm)___ 166(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 199(@250wpm)___ 166(@300wpm)
The thing that had flipped that switch from nervous to terrified?
Something completely ridiculous, something not even worthy of a second thought, especially considering how our date was supposed to have been a onetime thing.
But leave it to me to allow every ounce of joy I’d felt for so much of the day to fall by the wayside because of one simple thing.
Rush hadn’t grabbed any clothes as we’d left.
I was freaking out because the man had several boxes and suitcases full of his personal belongings in his hotel room, and he hadn’t grabbed any of it.
He hadn’t grabbed any of it because he was planning on returning to the room.
Tonight.
After he dropped me off.
“Hey, you okay?” Rush asked as his fingers brushed over mine where they were resting on the console that separated the front seats of the huge pickup truck.
I nodded. “Just tired,” I said. It wasn’t a lie. I was tired. But every ounce of exhaustion had been worth it. My day with Rush had been like a dream. It had been as perfect as the rare weather. Even with the stuff we’d talked about at lunchtime, it hadn’t taken long to get back the natural high I’d been riding all morning. A lot of that had to do with the fact that I got to have my arms wrapped around Rush’s strong body pretty much all day. I’d like the motorcycle more than I’d thought I would, but knowing I would get to hold on to Rush would be the main reason I’d say yes if he asked me to go for a ride again.
Except that was more and more unlikely to happen.
I sighed as we made the turn onto my road. Moments later, we were pulling into the driveway.
“Well, thank you for today,” I said awkwardly as I got myself unbuckled. “I had a lot of fun.”
God, I didn’t even sound like an actual person.
Escape.
Get up and out. Easy peasy.
Except not quite peasy because Rush grabbed my arm before I could open the door. “You sure you’re okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I’m great.” I gently tugged my arm free and got out of the car. I was certain I’d made a clean break until I heard a car door slam and footsteps behind me. I half turned as I walked and said, “It’s okay, you don’t need to walk me to the door. I’m sure you have things you need to do.”
I didn’t give Rush time to respond. I just dashed to the door and began searching my pockets for the keys. I could still hear footsteps behind me, so I knew Rush had ignored my comment. My fingers shook as I tried to put the key in the lock. I let out a little gasp when Rush’s big hand closed over mine. He was practically pressed up against my back.
“Why are you trying to run away from me?” Rush asked softly, his breath tickling the back of my neck. Then his lips were skimming over the same spot.
“I’m not. I just—” I didn’t know how to finish the sentence because I was clueless as to what was happening. Maybe he just wanted an end of the first date kiss?
“Just what?” Rush asked as he nuzzled my ear. A violent tremor jolted through my body. I barely managed to stifle a moan. I dropped my head forward so he could give the same level of attention to the back of my neck.
I was caught in a haze of desire as my mind and body warred within one another.
Not a good combination.
Unfortunately, my mind won out. “Thumper!” I said as I realized Rush was following me because he needed to collect his pet. I snapped my head up and met something that was both hard and soft at the same time.
“Ow, fuck!” Rush shouted as he took several steps backward, his hands covering his nose.
His very bloody nose.
My own head hurt like hell, but the sight of Rush bleeding had me rushing forward. Unfortunately, Rush unknowingly stepped off the porch step. He tried to catch himself, but in my haste to grab his arm, I too lost my balance and fell forward.
And that was all she wrote.
Our only saving grace was that we landed on the grass next to the walkway leading to the porch. My saving grace was that I landed on top of Rush’s hard body instead of the harder ground.
Sadly, grace wasn’t watching over Rush, who took the brunt of my weight when he hit the ground.
“Oh God, Rush, are you okay?” I asked as I instinctively reached for his face.
“You were soooo close to getting the Tour Guide of the Year award,” Rush groused. He let his arms fall flat on the grass. I scooted up his body to examine his nose.
“I’m so sorry,” I said as I tried to gently wiggle his nose back and forth.